A Glimpse of College Preview Weekend
Twice a year, Regent University invites hundreds of prospective students to campus for a College Preview Weekend (CPW). It creates a way for high schoolers to get a unique glimpse into college life and see if Regent is a good fit for them. This spring, from March 23-25th, 283 students populated the school, representing 37 different states. The high attendance rate was a 43% increase from the previous CPW in Spring 2022 and led to a wonderful weekend of fellowship and learning.
For on-campus students, CPW brings a mix of excitement and chaos. With added responsibilities such as meeting prospective students, conducting tours, serving as room hosts, and volunteering as door greeters, Regent students worked tirelessly to create a memorable event and welcoming atmosphere. They also had the opportunity to participate in the fun, including free food, a worship night, and other events, leading to a festival-like feel on campus. It was a collective effort of hard work, but students agree that it was worth missed classes and schedule readjustments to produce an incredible weekend of joyful memories.
Thursday night, college preview attendees joined current students at Unchapel, Regent’s student-led contemporary worship service. The chapel was packed with parents, high schoolers, and Regent students. The worship was powerful, and there was a tangible response from the audience as the Holy Spirit moved among the crowd. Dr. Jeff Gossman, director of Campus Ministries, spoke on the importance of meditating on scripture and Operation Blessing sponsored food at the evening service.
Continuing the theme of worship, students had the chance to attend a Cory Asbury and Riley Clemmons Night of Worship the next evening on Friday. The artists delivered a riveting concert, playing a combination of known favorites and some of their newest unreleased songs. Together, they created an environment that encouraged worship and pointed everyone in attendance to the one true King.
Lillianna Eisinger, a high school senior and CPW attendee, shared that Unchapel was the highlight of her weekend. “It was an incredible experience where I truly encountered God, and it was so spirit led by people around my age,” she remarked. “It truly inspired me to one day potentially be a part of it!” Eisinger will be joining Regent in the fall to study psychology.
She also encountered several Regent students who were having an impromptu worship session outside of any scheduled services, making her even more excited to attend Regent and get connected. Overall, she felt welcomed and valued by everyone she met, describing them as people who “truly have a gift for making newcomers feel at home.”
Another CPW participant, Joe Bourn, also remarked on the friendliness of Regent students. Bourn shared that his room hosts were very welcoming and “relatable.” Throughout the week, he noticed that “everyone was super friendly and focused on Christ first.” Bourn will begin classes at Regent in the fall and is excited to start his Bachelor’s in Biblical and Theological Studies, hoping to one day become a pastor.
It was a busy weekend on Regent’s campus for sure. Our faculty and classmates put in a lot of work to create a successful event for prospective students. I volunteered as a room host for a student and also attended the Night of Worship on Friday. But despite the exhausting nature of the weekend, I was so encouraged by it. On Saturday evening, I found a note on my kitchen counter. It was a simple “thank you” note from one of the students we hosted, and the gesture reminded me that, within the weekend’s craziness, students were impacted by what Regent’s faculty and students did and will remember it even once they leave our campus.
